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Ever since we had dinner at Ti­a Pol for the first time six months ago, I have been bitten by the tapas bug, and with little warning this wee hallway of a restaurant on 10th Avenue replaced Tabla as my favorite in all of New York City.

I didn’t know that there were any higher small-plate callings than the Floyd Cardoz’s boondhi raita, that is until I tried Alex Raij’s garbanzos fritos, and though it makes me sad to have evolved beyond my Bread Bar obsession, I feel strongly enough about these chickpeas that if you haven’t had them yet, you should close your browser, turn off your computer, get on a plane if you must, wait patiently through the forty minutes it will take just to sit at the bar because these babies will leave your up-to-then favorite bar snack in the dust so quickly, its tasty little head will spin. Be prepared for a fast and fierce addiction.

After I gushed over the spicy patatas bravas and blistered pimientos de padron and good god, the Ti­a Pol sangria, a friend suggested that I get The New Spanish Table. It only took my husband three or four trips to Barnes and Noble (he’s a book addict, if you must know) to remember to pick it up, which pretty much brings us up to this weekend. And although I am sure I did some other things throughout it–a dinner, a party, a new dress and a movie–all I really remember of it diving headfirst into this cookbook, marveling over how long it took me to realize that there is an entire cuisine in love with many of the foods that I am (eggs, potatoes, chickpeas, smoky paprika and cured pork) and barely coming up for air.

I have never made tortilla patata before only because I have yet to see a recipe with less than one cup of olive oil in it. If you’ve made it to your thirties without unsavory things like cellulite, bless you, but all the rest of us have good reason to be wary of fat by the cup full, even so-called “good” fat. However, my desire to conquer this dish at home got the better of me on Saturday morning (also, Saturday afternoon: uh, this dish takes a bit of time to make) and so I decided to approach it like a scientist, measuring the oil going in and out. I am so glad I did, because as it turns out this entire dish uses but four tablespoons of oil, and probably even less because there is no way I got all the excess out of our 19-pound Dutch oven. Low-fat? Not really, but not that big of a deal.

I am pleased to say that this tortilla was as good as any I have had in a restaurant, and we ate it warm and cold throughout the weekend with glee. I think there is nothing on earth it doesn’t pair well with, from a small tomato salad to coffee with brunch to white wine with lunch or a lentil salad (coming soon!), nuts, cheese or fruit. Or me, swatting my husband off with a fork because I don’t want to share it and him being all “but I bought the book for you! Please?” and me responding “no” or actually “nmnnmmwnah” because my mouth was full. What? It’s not like I said it makes you a better person. Just a well-fed one.

And also: A sidebar to this recipe in the book discusses Ferran Adrià’s tortilla de patatas, which he claims to make with potato chips. He says the original is way too much work for quick, at-home cooking (and from the length of the recipe below, I’m sure others agree) and good potato chips–fried in olive oil, he insists, which I suppose rules out Pringles, drat–make a tasty fill-in. Ximena at Lobstersquad explains how to use this technique over here, and don’t miss her adorable drawing of the proper way to flip a tortilla.

Potato Tortilla, Tortilla de Patatas, or Tortilla Española

Because this is one of my favorite dishes on earth, and I make it regularly, it’s gotten a few updates over the years. In August 2013, I veered quite a bit from the original recipe in the book, finding you can use less olive oil, cook the potatoes and onions simultaneously, omitting the strange addition of 2T chicken broth, adding some weights, and streamlining the directions. In September 2017, after a trip to Spain, I added some fresh photos taken with my two year-old “assistant,” not exactly waiting patiently for dinner.

Favorite ways to eat this: Alongside tomato bread or in a spread with other Spanish favorites. Warm, in wedges, with salad (and even jamón serrano) for dinner. Cold, in wedges, with salad for lunch. Cut into cubes and served with toothpicks for parties/cheese courses. As a sandwich filling, on a crusty baguette with aioli. Trust me.

You can add: Truly anything to this — a cup of slivered greens, slices of red pepper, a handful of peas — but I hope you do not. A perfect five-ingredient meal is a rare thing, and shouldn’t be meddled with.

3 to 4 (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds) Yukon Gold potatoes

1 small onion

1 cup olive oil

6 extra-large or 7 large eggs

Salt and freshly ground black pepper (don’t skimp)

Prepare potatoes and onions: Peel potatoes and onion and slice them very thin with a mandoline, the slicing blade of a food processor, or by hand. If either are on the large side, first cut them in a half lengthwise so the slices will be in half-moons.

Cook potatoes and onions: Heat oil in an 8- to 10-inch skillet, ideally nonstick, over medium-high until very hot, about 3 minutes. Add potatoes and onions in even layers and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 15 minutes, flipping and nudging potatoes around to ensure they cook evenly. Potatoes are done when they are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife. They should not get brown or fall apart in flipping (unless you like your tortillas with softer, more broken-up potatoes, as some do).

Drain potatoes and onions: Transfer potatoes and onion to a colander set over a bowl and drain them. Season potatoes and onion with salt and pepper and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. [Go make your salad now! Or start cracking those eggs…]

Make the tortilla batter: In the bottom of a large bowl, lightly beat eggs with a couple good pinches of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in drained potatoes and onions. If you have 10 minutes, definitely let them soak together for that long; it makes a difference in how well the finally tortilla stays together. If you’re in a rush, it’s not going to ruin the dish if you skip it.

Cook the tortilla: Add 2 tablespoons of the drained cooking oil* (back to the skillet over medium-high heat. Pour potato mixture into skillet and flatten the potatoes with a spatula until they’re mostly even. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, moving and shimmying the skillet and nudging the egg around (so it runs underneath) for a minute before letting the tortilla cook undisturbed until the top is wet but not very runny, and it is golden underneath.

Loosen the tortilla with a spatula then slide it onto a large dinner plate. With your hands in potholders, invert the skillet over the plate, take a deep breath, and flip it back into the skillet. You can do it! Shake the skillet to straighten the tortilla and use a spatula to gently tuck the edges back under, if needed.

Return the skillet to the stove and cook tortilla to your desired doneness, another 2 to 3 minutes if you like an ever-so-slightly loose center (try it and see if you can go back), 3 to 4 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out dry, for full doneness.

Serve: Slice onto a plate and serve in wedges, hot, cold or at room temperature, plain, or with a dusting of smoked paprika and/or squiggle of aioli or mayo.

*Save the rest of the cooking in the fridge for future tortillas, or eggs, or potatoes, or anything you want with a faint onion infusion.

Oooo… just two seconds after Amazon sent me a note saying they had just shipped “The New Spanish Table” I read your post on my Google Reader! How serendipitous is that?! I can’t wait to try this recipe myself! Tapas seem to be my ‘thing of the moment’!

I can second your Tia Pol recommendation, I’ve been there a couple of times this year and it was great. The croquetas were particularly fantastic; a thin crispy exterior filled with oozy, creamy potato and something salty, often jamon.

Now that I’m back in London my favourite place for tapas is Moro in Exmouth Market and I must say, their tortilla is the best I’ve ever had. Also, their cookbooks have fantastic recipes, you should check them out. Like you I’ve been wary of making the tortilla at home because of the oil, but I might try it once and do your calculation!

I’m coming to New York in 78 days (and counting), from good old Belfast, N.Ireland and I’ve totally taken down the name of this restaurant (along with tabla) in the hope that I can pay it a visit.I usually pay an annual summer visit to my parents villa in Spain so I lurve my tapas. I had a fab tortilla con piementos (sp?) this summer. I’ve been to NYC 5/6 times previously but as a proper ‘tourist’ – but this time I just wanna hang out, dine and lets not forget shop. Anyother restaurant suggestions are most welcome. Gracias

I love potato anything pretty much, but didn’t know there was such a thing as a potato tortilla. I’m totally with you about the 1 1/4 cups of oil, even if it is a necessity, but it looks so tempting, I think I’m going to have to cave in anyway.

Looks delicious. When I was in Spain for a semester abroad, my senora made these a lot. But she must have used a more simple recipe. It was just cooked in a pan, a basic omlete really, and often had asparagus. The only thing I didn’t like was finding it in a sandwich for my lunch later. Cold egg in soggy bread (because the tortilla was placed in the bread while hot) not very tasty.

Hi Deb. Mmm I love Tapas as well as potato pancakes. My mom made omelets with potatoes. We also called potaoes Patates in Armenian. But Armenia is a port and the people picked up words from other countries.

I’m so excited. There is an amazing Tapas Restaurant in New Haven called Barcelona. Every time I go there I get the potato tortilla, but for the life of me I couldn’t decide on an ingredient list to duplicate it. They serve theirs with crem freche and scallions. I can’t wait to try this recipe.

I so tried to make a version of this on Sunday morning… without a recipe, 2 sad little potatoes and a little bit of a wine blur still “hanging” over me. I popped my pan in the over for 12 minutes, rather than doing the whole inverted plate thing. Ours was tasty, but yours looks amazing. If anyone ever, and I know this is a stretch, visits Kansas City…La Bodega is our amazing little locally owned Tapas Restaurant. Food is four starts and the flaming coffee is to die for.

I will definitely be trying this. A few months ago, there was a discussion on one of the epicurious forums about spanish tortillas and the amount of oil they need. Some were horrified by the amount of oil in the traditional recipes. As I was. And some said you absolutely had to use that much oil to get the authentic thing. They said cooking the potatos in oil created some special effect and that you poured most of the oil off. I was a little skepitical about that but mention it for those who want to try that. Anyway, this one sounds great. Also, I made the zucchini almond side dish and it was fantastic. Burned the almonds to a crisp on my first try but once I got that figured out it was great. The zucchinis seemed different with the almonds in it. And so easy. Thanks!

oh! i picked up a bunch of potatoes at the farmers market last week… i’m not much of a potato-eater and have been looking for ways to use them up, and this looks perfect! it also looks like an easy thing to jazz up a bit. and yes, with some fresh salsa it would be great!

Tia Pol! I have made a regular habit of having my birthday dinner there, at the one large table you can reserve. I can’t get enough of Spanish food & wine. If you’re ever looking for a vacation destination, I cannot recommend Barcelona highly enough. I’ve developed a bit of an obsession and have been there 5 times in the last three years. A market called La Boqueria might be my favorite place on earth–you’d love it.

For a short-cut, there’s always FerrÃƒÂ¡n AdriÃƒÂ ‘s tortilla espaÃƒÂ±ola recipe that uses…potato chips…yes, straight-out-of-the-bag potato chips in places of the potato slices. Here’s a review by a Spaniard of how that experience turned out:

I’m so glad you decided to use amount of oil the recipe calls for. I’ve eaten tortilla espaÃƒÂ±ola all of my life, and as the author of the New Spanish Kitchen puts it, making tortilla is practically part of my DNA. True, some Spaniards now take shortcuts like boiling the potatoes, but it truly doesn’t taste the same and I wouldn’t consider that tortilla.

This is a lovely post — perhaps, just perhaps it really is possible to overcome one’s addiction to the Bread Bar, about which I’ve posted too many times over the past couple of years. Lord knows I’ve eaten more than my share of tortilla de patatas, both years ago in Madrid and here in NYC when I’ve gone out “tapiando” (gotta love Spanish, in which there actually is a verb which means “to go out and eat tapas”). I’m going to give this one a shot, since I have a hunch it will be popular with the men in my life. That means I won’t have to snarf it down all by myself and then want to shoot myself later…

Tortilla Espanola was something I fell in love with while traveling in Spain. It is incredible hot or cold, and makes a surprisingly good sandwich between two slices of baguette. I find I really like mine with a bit of roasted garlic and rosemary. Kudos for decreasing the olive oil!

seriously the staub weighs at least 2x what my le creuset is… everytime i try to lift it at my mother’s – i underestimate its weight… it’s a workout everytime! The one difference is that my mom’s has a rooster handle… does yours??

I have to tell you something that happened recently that absolutely amazed me.
I was telling a friend about my blogging and how much I enjoyed it and the person said, “have you ever seen Smitten Kitchen’s blog?” and I said. “Yes, I read Smitten Kitchen’s blog”. I was stunned that this person doesn’t blog and has read your blog.

Is it a small world or what?

So, I wanted you to know that your being talked about and people know who you are. I love your blog, it’s a great inspiration.

Jose Andres who studied under Adria and has four lovely tapas restaurants in DC (including a greek tapas place, Zaytinya) has a tapas cookbook that I adore. He has a recipe for tortilla the traditional way, and with potato chips. The potato chip one comes out great and is much easier to prepare!

Deb,
I haven’t tried this recipe yet, but have been lurking around reading and drooling over your recipes since linking from This Fish a few weeks ago. Your writing and photography are totally beautiful, and your recipes (in combination with great produce from the San Francisco farmers’ market!) have gotten me totally excited about cooking again after a far-too-long “I hate cooking for just myself and consequently will eat cereal and easy things that are bad for me” no-cooking slump.

Stumbled in somewhat in the bag (re: Canadian speak for half-in-the-bag) and realized I had this both bookmarked, and all the ingredients. Tasty, and amazing. I shredded a bit of parm into mine, and topped with a bit of parsley. Amazing, fantastic, great.

Hello!
I am from Spain, love your blog, love tortilla de patata and I was very surprised when I saw this post ;) It’s funny to see tortilla de patata in non-spanish blogs.
You did great about flipping the tortilla! It’s kind of a difficult thing for a lot of people here in Spain.
Just one suggestion, I’ve never seen a recipe which contains stock of any kind… if I were you, I’d try with more eggs and no stock. The result you should find is a little more eggs than potatoes. And one question, what’s the kosher salt for?
A good combination for tapas is with fried green peppers or tomato slices with a bit of mayo ;)
I hope I’ve been helpful :)
Enjoy spanish food ;)

I’ve also read about the guy who makes a potato chip tortilla…maybe I’ll try it one of these days, since my kids would probably agree to eat it. This one looks lovely! I spent several months trying to perfect the simple tortilla Espanola, even wresting a recipe out of a local Flamenco singer from Jerez (we had to bribe him to make us one, then we broke it down!) You can read about it (and about what finally worked) here: http://badhomecooking.typepad.com/bad_home_cooking/2006/10/tortilla_y_ya.html
The chick peas of which you speak are officially going on the docket when I next get to NYC, maybe in Feb. (don’t ask).
As always, you’re an inspiration, Deb!

Thanks so much for this post. I feel compelled to comment for the first time because your picture looks just like the ones I enjoyed the summer I spent in Spain. Thank you for including such a detailed recipe, too. I watched my host mother many times, but all my attempts back in the states have been disastrous. You may have just reunited me with one of my favorite foods.

I agree with the earlier poster – I’ve never seen a recipe that calls for stock – and it makes it inedible for vegetarians! I heart me a good tortilla espaÃƒÂ±ola, though I’m not great at making them myself. I have been known to get a poor woman’s tortilla made for me at those made to order omelet stations at a brunch. Just ask for onions and hashbrowns. They look at you like you’re crazy, but it’s decent enough.

I love mine with a little jamÃƒÂ³n serrano. Unfortunately very difficult to get here in the states. :(

I am SO going to be making this tonight! Looks deelish! I live in Connecticut and get into NYC quite often and plan on a visit to Tia Pol next time I’m there. Thanks for the restaurant, recipe and cookbook tips! You’ve just got yourself another loyal reader!

To HeatherK — have fun in NYC and be sure to also visit Plataforma restaurant. It’s a churrascario that my family and I just love!

Well done!!!
I’m spanish and surprised to see a good tortilla.
However, I will tell you my mom’s secret to the best tortilla de patatas EVER.
She only uses olive oil, eggs, a pinch of salt and potatoes.
First she does a half-frying of the potatos in olive oil. Don’t let them fry completely, just like half of the time you’d need. Then, leave the potatoes in paper towel so it soaks the excess oil, and once this is done, put the potatos again in the pan together with the eggs. When the tortilla is made, the potatos on the inside will be a little crunchy and it’s amazing!
If you have any leftovers, you can make a good sandwich out of it but a little mayo is needed or the sandwich would be a bit dry.

I love that you shared this! I spent a summer in Spain a few years ago, and lived with a very sweet “madre” named Encarna who taught me how to make some of my favorite dishes while I was there. Because she made hers a bit differently than your recipe, I make mine a bit differently! To this day, I never know how many potatoes or how many eggs I use – I just kept adding until it “looks right.” There’s nothing like cooking the grandma way!

Also, I agree with Elena above – leftover tortilla makes the best “bocadillos,” or sandwiches, in the world! A dense white bread and some mayo – perfecto!

I just made this and it immediately transported me back to Spain, seven years ago, as a high school freshman exploring its Southern provinces for the first time. I dreamed of tortillas de patatas with the same wistfulness with which I long for another sip of Spanish hot chocolate or authentic churros.

This post finally convinced me to make tortilla, something I’ve been meaning to do since I moved back to the US from Spain…four years ago. I didn’t add the stock, it perplexed me as much as everyone else, threw in some garlic with the onions, and it turned out great! As far as salting the potatoes the only reason I can think to salt them before is to do what my Nana always did to eggplant before making eggplant parmesan, salt it and lay in on paper towels to soak up the liquid from the vegetable. The salt draws it out.

I’ve tried this recipe 3 times now, and love it. I actually studied in Madrid during college, and tortilla española was one of two things my house mom made that I liked (the other was fabada asturiana). This version is an excellent rendition, thank you!

For such a simple recipe, this can generate the most serious arguments! Nobody believes that a tortilla can be made that rivals their Grandmothers!
I am not Spanish, but learned my recipe from an 80+ year old Spanish lady. I still can’t get it like she does. She did give some hints, however:
1) The potatoes are important; they should be fairly (but not excessively), waxy potatoes (something like Desiree or King Edwards in the UK, rather than say a floury Golden Wonder). I do not know the American equivalents. She still says, however, that it is not the same without the Galician crop (probably from her own back garden as she grew up).
2) Dependng on the potato, salting may be required to remove excess water.
3) It takes a lot of oil, since the potato/onion mixture needs to boil, as well as fry, in the oil. Most of this oil is recovered and used again. Close covering is also recommended. Do not let either potatoes or onions caramelise, so stirring is important..
4) Olive oil is all that is required. Extra virgin olive oil is too expensive to fry with. Use that for your salads and dressings, or just dip some fresh bread in it!
5) It never goes near an oven or grill – it must be turned.
6) Ratios of potatoes/onions/eggs depend on everything – the size of the potatoes, onions, eggs. Just do it until it looks right; an easier thing to see when you are being shown, admittedly!
7) Preferably keep one pan for making tortilla, and make two or three rather than try to use a different, larger, pan for parties, etc.

From what I was taught, I’d say there is too much potato compared to the onion and eggs in the above recipe (but, as I said, that depends on the size of the onion and eggs), and where (as other people have pointed out) did the stock come from? However, if you enjoy it this way, carry on! That is also the beauty of the dish, it has endless variations.

hi, i agree with manzana, no chicken stock heard before, i sometimes add a splash of milk to the egg mixture, and some eople add half a teaspoon of baking powder, for a spongy look. If you add some fried chorizo, its not potato omelette anymore, but its delicious as well. There is something that us, spaniards agree on, our mum’s is the best tortilla de patatas…loved your sie,
cheers,
pity

I made the tortilla yesterday, there was a tortilla contest and my tortilla won (mostly voted by the Spaniards which makes that even better as they know what a good tortilla is), I only managed to try a tiny bite as it was wiped off the plate in a matter of minutes.

Congratulations on your tortilla! As a Spaniard I can tell you it looks pretty good. Tortillas are a tricky thing and every family has its tips and tricks, but I had never heard the chicken stock one before. Some people add red pepper or zucchini, I love tortilla with canned tuna. I was recently taught by a tapas bar owner her recipe for a 5.5 lb tortilla, you can check it out on my blog.

made this tonight with some modifications (due to laziness and what was on hand): i subbed some spicy hashbrowns for half the potatoes and sliced summer squash for the other half. it had a nice texture and good spice (if i do say so myself). i also reduced the oil down to a paltry 1/4-1/3 cup.

Do you think it would be unwise to increase proportions to adapt this recipe for a 10 inch cast iron skillet? My intuition would be to increase it by 33% across the board (4 potatoes, 8 eggs, etc.), but I thought I’d ask (and not impulsively buy a new pan via Amazon Prime .. sigh, online shopping addictions). Thanks!

Definitely shouldn’t be a problem to increase the proportions. When I increase proportions, however, I go by the bottom area of the pan; the reason is that I want the height of the dish to remain the same as the original. Because of this, I’d increase it by 50% — the area of the 8″ pan is 50 and the 10″ would be 78. Hope that helps and that I’ve not too obviously given myself away as a former math geek. :)

My mom’s been making tortilla for my family since I was 5 years old (my step-dad is Argentine), and I finally started making it myself a few years ago. Just a tip for anyone a little intimidated by the flipping process: I just chuck the (oven-proof) skillet under the broiler for 5-8 minutes to finish off the top. It shames my mothers that I don’t do it the authentic way, but I’m such a klutz that the tortilla would be just as likely to end up on the floor as back in the skillet! Just don’t forget that the skillet JUST came out of the oven when you inevitably forget and are about to wrap your hand around the blazing hot handle… Kind of ruins tortilla night, but as a slight consolation prize, you learn that it’s good at all temperatures.

I love tapas and Spanish food, my boyfriends mom is from Spain and frequently makes the tortilla de patata for us, I’ve watched her a few times and she likes to cube the potato instead of slicing which I think I like better. (my boyfriends dad has also made the tortilla with French fries from inn and out burger which turned out pretty good too.. (and saves you a step!) anyways thank for posting this because I was trying to find a good recipe to use as a starter for my own tortilla:)

Janet, in professional kitchens, the handle of a skillet that’s going in the oven is dusted generously with flour. I can’t tell you the number of times I have unthinkingly reached for a blisteringly hot skillet, either sticking out from under the grill, or recently transferred to a counter, seen the flour, and felt puzzled just long enough (“What’s that flour doing there? Wait a minute…”) to come to my senses before wrapping my hand around it.

Have you ever had it with garlic aioli? It’s OH.MY.GOSH. good. My mom, the garlic hater, absolutely loves it. I cheat and just mix 1 or 2 cloves with a bit of mayo and vinegar. It’s worth the smelly breath. WAY worth it!

Thanks for your blog, which is great and has given me good ideas many times.

However, if you admit a bit of criticism, no true tortilla de patatas has any form of stock. And if we were to be purists, it wouldn’t have onion either, just potatoes and eggs. The result must be a very gooey inside, with a lot more egg than potatoes, and the egg must be runny.

I have made many tortillas in my life time. My mother is Spanish from San Sabastian (where she and my father have a second home)but grew up in Madrid. Not all spaniards can make a great tortilla but my mother can-she is an amazing cook.
Some suggestions: the potatoes should be deep fried in oil. We fry the potatoes and onions together in batches. The tortilla should be pretty wet still when you flip. When you flip hold the handle as close to the pan as you can, it gives you a lot more control. The tortilla should not be completely dry, a bit wet is much better. Never have I heard of the broth being used but I guess if your trying to use less fat-makes sense.

Also, don’t forget to save the leftover oil in a jar- stored in thr fridge- for next time.

hey
do you think this could work in a stainless steel frying pan? I am afraid of it sticking. I could always finish the top under the broiler but then I can only dream from taking it out of the pan, period. I am stuck here with an induction stove and so few of the pans work; definitely not the non-stick ones. :( Please and thank you

Looks fantastic and so great to see an authentic approach. I’ve lived n Spain for 14 years and feel making tortilla de patata is a bit of a national sport (along with eating pipas). Everyone has their methods and theories and many have a pan used only and exclusively for tortilla. One recommendation I’d make would be to cover the frying potatoes with a ventilated lid (readily available here, not sure about elsewhere, never had one at home). This creates vapor and helps potatoes soften quicker.

Thanks for linking to this from the kale salad recipe; I hadn’t noticed it in your archives. In case anyone is looking for other ideas for accompaniments to this, I made it tonight with the chickpea and spinach stew recipe (http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/chickpea-and-spinach-stew) from Food & Wine, which is also a pretty quick weeknight dish. Both dishes are Spanish and so they go well together. (I normally use an amalgamation of your chickpeas with spinach recipe combined with one from Madhur Jaffrey’s World Vegetarian, but I decided to try a different one. They are all good but all have interesting variations.) Anyway, it made for a great, healthy supper. Thanks again!

Thanks for this. Had it for dinner last night and lunch today. Delicious. In the interest of science I will note that I boiled the potatoes to avoid the peeling and extra frying mess, which is probably heretical, but I think it was just as good (and less greasy). If you’re not inclined to make this and you happen to live in NYC, the tortillas at Despana on Broome St. are amazing. I’m obsessed with the tortilla con queso, which is made with a cheese called “vidiago.” You can eat a slice there, or buy a whole pie, which is very portable and bringable to a party if you are a nice guest.

I have been making tortillas for years, and have two comments: I cook the onions and potatoes together, and then put them in the bowl with the beaten eggs. This helps pre-cook the eggs, and give me time to rinse and re-heat my cast iron frying pan. Also, I invert the inverting process. I put a larger than the pan plate on top, flip over, and slide the tortilla back in the pan uncooked side down. That’s the way my abuelina (grandmother) did it.

Guys!! Pedro’s way is THE is the way to flip it!! Put a plate on top, hold plate with the palm of your hand, flip the pan over into the plate (with the plate just on top of the tortilla the whole time >> voila! the tortilla is suddenly brown side up on the plate!), THEN slide it off of the plate back into the pan! The contents will already be mostly set by the time you need to flip it, so there won’t be a mess when you rotate the pan from right-side-up to upside-down over the plate.

I made this for the first time on Sunday evening, and while my “flip” didn’t turn out perfectly, the tortilla was so delicious! This is going on the very short list of recipes that both my picky husband and son equally love. My 7-year-old son would eat a few bites, then come over to KISS MY ARM and say, “I looooove it, Mama,” and then go back to his bowl. My husband just requested that I make it again (it’s Tuesday… of course there are NO leftovers.)

What a delish and easy to follow recipe. I found it through the link from the kale salad posted earlier this summer and was going to pair them, but the kale recipe found its way into another (very tasty and well received even by 15 year olds) meal a month ago…this was worth the wait. Why it took so long to have Yukon gold potatoes and eggs in the house at the same time, I’ll never know. Do I qualify as a kitchen geek for exclaiming “that was fun!” after flipping the tortilla? Grandmothers of Sils’ apple cake is next up. It’s always a treat to be inspired by and cook from your blog. Thank you for sharing your passion.

Like so many other commenters, I returned from Spain recently- having eaten tortilla every day when I was there, I waited a suitable interval before making it again, but it’s a summer night, the gentleman friend and I are packing to move, and I’ve got the potatoes are soaking in the egg. Had to sub in 3/4 cup of egg white for half the egg, because the carton of eggs that we thought was full turned out to contain only 3. The sight of the cooking potatoes took me right back to the refugio in Tosantos, where we stayed up half the night with rogue Spanish Franciscans, drinking wine and having dinner. Thanks!

I too fell in love with tortillas espanola while studying abroad in Toledo. I make them just this way, except that I small dice my potatoes and onions rather than slice (as that is how I was accustomed to them). I cheat the flipping process by silly turning into another pan of the same size or slightly larger.

I have never heard of using potato chips before… but I have satisfied a craving in a rush by using tater tots (warmed in the microwave and smushed into the eggs). Not at all gourmet, but fast and easy, especially when I had a college kid’s pantry.

Deb, have you tried America’s Test Kitchen’s Spanish Tortilla with Roasted Red Peppers and Peas (season 10)? The ATK version calls for less oil and you do not drain the potatoes… a messy step I am happy to avoid!

I haven’t; I will have to check it out. I know the amount of oil tends to freak us out, but it’s the core flavor of an authentic tortilla and, to me, everything else is just a potato omelet. A delicious one, of course, which is to say I’m sure I’ll enjoy the ATK version.

Your recipes always work! Maybe I got the heat just right today or something, but it’s the first time I have successfully managed to keep it looking pretty after flipping. I’ve read a million recipes for this and tried a good handful, but today’s is the best!

I would like to congratulate you for your web. I love it. Can I make some comments about your “tortilla”? I am Spanish girl (from Madrid) and the truth is that I’ve never eaten a good Spanish tortilla out of Spain. But it’s always nice when people try their best trying to cook it. Yours it’s quite similar to the real one, it looks quite well, however in 90% of the Spanish tortillas the potatoes are smashed with the help of a spatula, while friying. We don’t usually leave the potatoes so “big”. This is how ordinary Spanish people eat it at “tapa bars”, no matter how “chefs” teach how to do it.

And to avoid using so much oil I do something that it’s not good or proper (I admit it) but it’s my way to do “tortilla” when I feel too lazy to cook. I use the microwave to soften the potatoes. I put 2 medium potatoes and 1 onion very finely sliced in a bowl, I sprinkle with salt (in Spain we don’t put pepper in the tortilla) and a squirt of olive oil. I toss everything very wel, cover with film and in the microwave, at maximim for 10 minutes. Open and with the spatula I smash everything, cover again and in the microwaver for another 10 min. Again with the spatula I smash the potatoe and onion. The next steps are just the same as in the regular tortilla. Your indications are just perfect. Just a hint, my mother used to put some baking powder in the beaten eggs to make it fluffy. I put a squirt of milk in my beaten eggs. This prevent the eggs from over cooked and produces a juicy tortilla, not too dry.

Of course, there are people who like it juicy, others dry, with or without onion… Sorry if my English wasn’t good enough to clarify how we eat “tortilla de patata” here in Spain, cooked by ordinary housewifes, no chefs or professional cooks.

Susan — It can definitely be done but I should admit that I’m weirdly rigid about slow-cooking them in olive oil, as is traditional, so I haven’t tried it. It’s so not like me to be so rigid about things — however it works for you is all that matters — but for me, that olive oil braise is the essential flavor and I hate to miss out on it.

I took this as an inspiration for my weekly frittata that I bring to work for breakfast. I used the same ingredients, and added a gruyere/swiss cheese blend. Instead of cooking it in a pan, I buttered up a pie dish, poured the contents in, shook it to get everything leveled, and baked at 350 for 35ish minutes. It is INSANE! :)

Have you ever let the potatoes soak in the egg solution for several hours? If dinner can’t be made in 30 minutes or less on a weeknight, it doesn’t get made. But I do have some time (and the kitchen) to myself in the morning and could totally do the preliminary steps then if the whole mess can hang out in the fridge until the evening. Thoughts?

Amazing how so few pantry ingredients can produce such a lovely dish! I looked at my kitchen and had a plethora of eggs and potatoes, and not much else. Well, some salad greens, so the tortilla paired wonderfully with a green salad! Hubby actually ate the leftovers the next day – and it takes a really good dish for him to do that. Definitely going into the dinner rotation. Thank you.

I live in Barcelona, will have a think and get back to you with a list of food and sightseeing recommendations! Also where on the Costa Brava are you going? Calella de Palafrugell is really cute and the coast line near Begur is gorgeous (especially Sa Tuna and Aiguafreda)

Definitely. It’s not uncommon for people to leave the potato and onion mixture sitting in the eggs for a while, in fact, it’s supposed to help it all adhere. You might even do that too, but I’ve never done it for as long as overnight before.

Oh, so delicious sounding ! But I’m confused……does it take 1 cup of olive oil or 4 tablespoons of olive oil ? The text says you lowered the amount to four tablespoons, but the recipe says 1 cup. Can you please clarify?! I want to make this but that one cup of oil is just too much for me.

I agree; I should do a video for this. For the flipping, keep it simple. Loosen the tortilla — I use a nonstick here so it’s basically always loose. Shimmy/tip it at a low angle onto a plate larger than the frying pan; it’s cooked underneath and anything that happens (a potato falling out, a little crack) cures itself when it continues to cook. Place the frying pan facedown over the tortilla on the plate. Use two oven mitts to tightly hold them together and flip it back into the frying pan. Put it back on the stove, tuck in the edges with a spoon or spatula (for a neater look, not otherwise necessary) and it will cook up just fine.

On Serious Eats, they suggest something (I was reading about the Potato Chip version): use a glass lid. When it’s time to flip, put the glass lid on the pan & turn it upside down (the potatoes are now in the lid).

Put the pan down, and slide the potatoes back into the pan.

There was no video…..and I haven’t tried this. But it sounds like it would work as an alternate way. Kinda the reverse of how Deb says to do it.

Very curious about the original recipe containing stock. What was it used for? I can’t even imagine!

I know a lot of people shy away from making tortilla at home solely because of the flipping. While it may seem daunting, it’s not as bad as you think. The key is confidence! Hesitation is the enemy here. Just commit, and go for it! (You can always do it over the sink in case of drips.)

I used sweet potatoes in place of the yukon golds, then followed the rest of the recipe exactly. It worked perfectly! The sweet potatoes provided some caramelization and a sweet note. A new favorite in our house (including the six year old)!

Lived in Spain for a year and this was my favorite. Always watched my host mom make the potatoes in a pressure cooker. My sisters and I used to fight over the burnt bits at the bottom when they were done. Did it that way for years until I went back to visit and found out they use the microwave now. Mix the sliced potatoes with the onions, enough olive oil to coat and sea salt. Make sure the dished is covered completely. Microwave for 5 minutes, stir and make a judgement on how much longer you think they need. (It all depends on how many potatoes/how big your your tortilla is) Once you make the tortilla, you’ll never know the difference! Tastes the same. I actually make just the potatoes for a side dish. My kids love ‘Spanish’ potatoes!

I made this tortilla with the walnut kale salad for our “meatless Monday” dinner last night, and it was absolutely delicious! Initially I was pretty intimidated by the flipping part, but my husband helped me out while I rooted him on (and prayed he wouldn’t drop it) from the sidelines. I definitely agree that nothing needs to be added to this recipe. After flipping, I only cooked the flipped tortilla for a couple of minutes because I wanted a gooey interior (which was the right decision, sooooo so good). I sprinkled a little Maldon sea salt on top for texture and presentation, which worked out nicely. I used a steep-walled, 8″ non-stick pan, and I thought the thickness of the tortilla was perfect and loosing the edges was effortless. My only regret is that there were no leftovers. Thanks Deb!

I’m not sure baking is necessarily the answer to under cooked potatoes. Sometimes they do take a long time to cook in a skillet especially depending on the type of potato. The easy answer is to precook/steam them in the microwave for a bit until they start to slightly soften and then brown in the skillet. Heck throw the onions in too. It should shave some minutes off the cooking time and make sure no hard potatoes. Maybe it’s cheating but it works :-)

Gosh, I make this regularly and it is even less fuss with my recipe from Costa Brava, at an inn where the lovely lady of the house let me “help” in her kitchen. I boil the potatoes and then slice them. Whilst they boil, I saute the onion. Add potatoes and eggs and that is the end of it. I have no idea why so much oil is reportedly needed, I only use enough to saute the onion. I do use a non stick pan. I add roasted red peppers when I have them. It is an easy quick staple at our house. Love it with some siracha and sour cream.